Semaphore switch-signal.



l. B. GORRELL.

SEMAPHORE SWITCH SIGNAL.

.APPLICATION FILED ^uG.a|. |914.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

JOHN B. GORRELL, 0F KNDALLVILLE, INDIANA.

sEMA'HoRE 'SWITCH-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1.915.

.Application tiled August 31, 1914. Serial No. 859,474.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. Qonnnnr., citizen of the United States, residing at Kendallville; in the county of Noble and- State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n .QSemaphore 1 which is provided with an upright slot 2 offset from the line of the shaft and havingits inner wall alined with the flat side of said shaft which is llocated. directly at right'angles to the side upon which the blade 1 1s secured. l'The slot 2 is designed for the Switch-Signals; and I do declare"the fol. reception of a transverse horizontally elonlowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the inventiop,` such as will enable others skilled in the'art Ato which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in semaphore signalsused" in connection with 'gated semaphore blade 3 which is secured to the adjacent portion of the shaft -S by -bolts i or other suitable fasteners,- the blade 1 being likewise secured in position by similar fasteners 5.

When the lever L is swung to the position4 railway Switch throwing devices and has shown in Fig. 1, in which positionthe switch for its object to provide a device in: which the shape of a'pair of blades ybecomes the distinguishing feature by means ofwhich the position of the switch may be ascer# tained, rather than providing a device wliich the colors of the blades are the distinguishing features.

In carrying out the above end, a further. object ot the invention is to construct the device in the most simple manner consistent with its proper operation and to vprovide each blade with a border colored differently froniits body, whereby the shape f said blade mayl be readily ascertained at a glance.

With the above and minor objects in view the invention resides in certain'novel features of constructiom combination herein described and claimed and shown in the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is aside elevation showing the application of my invention to a switch throwing device'the` position of the semaphore displaying the. fact that the switch is closed,` Fig.' 2v is a similar view showing the position'-of parts when lthe switch is opened; and Figiais a horizontal section taken on the line-.ff'of Fig'. 1.

In the accom drawings, I have shown a. t rowin device D which includes a. combined switc throwing and locking lever L and ail-upright shaft S rising from the 'device'V and designed to rotate throughout an arcof 90 when the lever L is thrown from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that disclosed in Fig. 2.

Although the-shaft Smight-welt be rec'- tangular throughout itslen'gth, its intermediate portion is preferably rounded as indicated at I. Securedto one of the flat sides.

of the shaft Snear its upper end, is an u right vertically elongated semaphore blade is closed, the upright blade 1 will bedis- ,played 'to the engineer ,of an approaching zontal .blade 3 will be displayed.'AA Itlwill thereforebe seen that the condition-of the' switch is ascertained by the shape of theseinaphore blades rather than by the color thereof as is usual with devices of `this character.- By this means, it will be seen that a color blind operator ofan approaching train would not fail to notice thecondi'- tion of the switch as displayed by' the semaphore., This is an extremely important feature. i

In most cases, I intend Aprovide each blade with a surrounding Vborder 6 which is colored differently from. its -body portion, the border being referably dark While it is usually desirabF said blades coated wthln'jli'ghtf malight' bodyi. .porti0n of the blades will clearlyjdietihguishtheir Y Shp, whereas, if the dvic .1s-'employed 'at a. point at. which the 1i`A lit-: is extremely strong, the -dark border w1 l clearly display the shape of the blade o'r panel.

I am aware that the merev provision of differently colored border on thesema bore blade 'would not generally be term mechanicaIj-invention but it willA be under-v stood', that since the 'shape of the'A blade is the important feature in the presentcse, and the border clearl Adisti'ngishes 'the shape of saidblades't `s feature'see'ms to possess noveltyms a mechanical' structure.

Having thus described my invention what I claim asiiew and desire to secure by Letters Patent isf The combination with an upright rec i tavgular shaft adapted to be rotated tnroughout an angle of ninety degrees, of'

lies flush with an adjoining fiat face of the shaft, and whose'upperand lower `ends are spaced equi-distantly from' the/:upper and lower ends of 'the blade,'bolts passingV through the blade andthe shaft, an' additional and horizontally elongated rectangular blade inserted through the aforesaid slot, contacting with the walls thereof, and likewise contacting at its upright center with the shaft,'and additional bolts passing through the aforesaid horizontally elongated blade and through the shaft.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in` presenceof two subscribing wit- A A 'JOHNv B. GKORRELL4 Witnesses:

JESSE BI'LGER,

Hitmix V. Gonknr..

' Copies of 4this `patent maiybe -obtuiiuxl*for ve cents each,.by addressing' the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, l).V C." 

